Two Georgia teenagers escaped custody and prompted a manhunt Thursday after overpowering a deputy and assaulting him with his own gun, as reported by the Jenkins County Sheriff's Office. The boys, identified as Brandon Davis, 14, and Corinthian Newton, 15, stripped the deputy of his gun, rendering him unconscious, before fleeing into the woods. The incident occurred at Highway 56 and Knight Road, just south of the Richmond County line, while the teens were being transported to the Regional Youth Detention Center in Augusta following a court appearance in Millen on burglary and gun charges.
During the transport, the teenagers complained of heat in the police vehicle, leading to a scuffle with Deputy Milo Perry. One of the teens managed to wrestle the deputy's gun away, firing three rounds in his direction. Although the deputy was not shot, he required hospital treatment for injuries sustained during the altercation.
An extensive manhunt involving nearly three dozen law enforcement units ensued, with the Burke County Sheriff's Office coordinating efforts to locate the escaped teens, who were still shackled at the time of their escape. The boys were eventually apprehended with the aid of police dogs around 5 p.m. on Ponderosa Road, where they were found hiding in a storage container.
Sheriff Alfonzo Williams expressed gratitude to the law enforcement agencies and the community for their support during the search. The juveniles are now back in custody, and it remains unclear what additional charges they will face in connection with their escape and assault on the deputy.
